whats the best site for estimating used car values?

[Maverick]

I can't seem to find any consistency with used car price estimation. Kelley Blue Book seems to overestimate everything, Edmunds.com is slightly less, and the form on Caranddriver.com is both higher and lower than KBB.

Whats the definitive site that gives the most accurate estimates that I can take to a dealer?

I'm looking at buying a 99 Prelude SH with about 45,000 miles on it...KBB says its worth $21,000, Edmunds says $19,000 and CarAndDriver says $16000. Which one can I take to the dealer?

 

[vi edit]

I have found edmunds to be the most reliable, and accurate. KBB can kiss my butt.

And on a side note - I couldn't imagine paying that much for a car that's 3 years old, and has 45,000 miles on it that's only depreciated a couple thousand. What was the original sticker price? $23,000 or so?

 

[Linflas]

It is not an exact science. You have some likely ranges so if it were me I would go with the 16K number and do the negotiating from that point. Just set a personal limit as to what the highest number you are likely to go with before starting.

 

[RossMAN]

I would also search the major newspaper's classifieds section in your area, I found a 98 Prelude w/ 27k for $18k.

 

[Cerebus451]

That is really strange. Normally Edmunds is the high end, and KBB the low end. You can also check out NADA as well. There is no exact science to pricing a used car. There is no set "sticker price" to go from. Ultimately it comes down to how much you are willing to pay for the car.

 

[ScoobMaster]

ALL the car dealers and 90% of the banks here in upstate NY use the NADA guide
(NADA = National Automobile Dealers Association)

Link here : NADA website

 

[vi edit]

It's really just a guessing game as Linflas said. You don't know what the dealer has invested in that car, how long it's been sitting on the lot, and how bad they want to move it.

The hardest part is knowing what they paid for the car. The others you can sort of tell with some investigation. Look at what wholesale is on the car(dealer trade in usually), and then offer 5% over that. So, if invoice was $15,000, then offer $15,750.

 

[badluck]

That is really strange. Normally Edmunds is the high end, and KBB the low end.

You have it backwards.....

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: badluck

That is really strange. Normally Edmunds is the high end, and KBB the low end.

You have it backwards.....

KKB usually is low on trade in, and high on dealer retail. That's why I laugh when a dealer says they are 5% BELOW KBB RETAIL!!!! Oh big freaking whoop. So that means you are STILL overpriced by about $2,000 too much.

 

[Maverick]

well the dealer has the car stickered at around $19,998 or so. When I set out to buy a car I set myself a limit of $15,000. Its not a hard limit, but it was something to go on. So their price for the car seemed really high to me. I'm not planning on keeping the car for more than 3 years (I plan on buying a new car when I turn 25 and my insurance goes down) so the mileage isn't a problem...I just want to get a good price on it.

 

[badluck]

KKB usually is low on trade in, and high on dealer retail. That's why I laugh when a dealer says they are 5% BELOW KBB RETAIL!!!! Oh big freaking whoop. So that means you are STILL overpriced by about $2,000 too much.

Yeah, since the original poster is talking about buying it from a dealer, I was saying that KBB value will be higher, and Edmunds will be lower.

 

[Maverick]

lol now this is funny...another dealer about 60 miles north of me (incidentally the same dealer where I bought my present car from) is selling a 2001 prelude with 13k miles for $19,995. A car thats 2 years newer, has 30k less miles and its only 7 bucks more!

 

[Thegonagle]

Dealers ask recockulous prices for used Hondas. If it's obviously not a "sale" price, ie, the ad/asking price is pretty high, give a lowball of about $4500 less than thier asking price, and see what happens.

BTW, a little bit less than NADA is a good place to end up for a used car in excellent condition. Why less? Because NADA is a report of what cars were going for just before the last publication date.